Sisters Daughters Mothers
by Emma Jay Bentley
Summary: Sequel to mothers sisters daughters, catch up on what's been happening to Charlie, Catherine, Lindsey and co. Set a few years on from the previous story. An incident threatens to tear the Flynn family apart after so short time together.
1. Chapter 1

I thought I'd try a sequel. here it is

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**Sisters, Mothers and Daughters.**

"I hate you!"

"Why can't you be more like your sister?"

"You didn't put me up for adoption!"

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Chapter 1

Catherine awoke and found that she'd fallen asleep in the living room with the empty bottle of wine next to her. Her head was pounding and the guilt made her feel worse. She'd slapped her, and slapped her hard. Argument after argument is all that they were having. Mother and daughter at warm, they only communicated by shouting. They'd both said words that they didn't mean and words that had hit close to the bone. Catherine knew she'd taken it too far but Lindsey said the sentence that had hurt the most. 'You didn't put me up for adoption.' Catherine would always react badly to that statement; there wasn't a day that went by without her thinking about it. The guilt had gotten better over recent years but there were times when she felt so bad that she wanted to cry, she got over that by looking at Lindsey and seeing that she made the right choice on both counts.

She couldn't have given Charlie the life she deserved, however recent events suggested that she hadn't given Lindsey the life she deserved. The teenager was going through a really rebellious phase and was heading towards trouble, as a CSI Catherine knew what could happen if things didn't change. She'd thought about calling Charlie but she was busy with medical school in New York, and she didn't want to trouble her. She thought about calling her former colleague Sara Sidle as she'd seen Charlie through her teenage years but Sara had a lot on her plate, and she also didn't want to admit to someone that she was having problems bringing up her daughter. Her mother was also someone she could turn too but Lilly was on vacation with Nancy and her family. She was pulled out of her musings by the phone ringing.

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"Willows."

"What's going on with you and the Muppet?" Charlie asked without bothering to say hello.

"Hi mum how are you?" Catherine replied. "Let me guess she called you?"

"At a lovely hour too. She says you slapped her." Charlie said and she didn't sound happy, Charlie had experienced violence as a child so stayed away from it as a rule. "I'm not going to comment on that because she told me what she said and in all fairness I'm the daughter not the mother."

Catherine sighed before speaking. "I don't know what to do, all we're doing is shouting at each other. You went through a bad phase how did you get through?" Catherine asked out of desperation.

"I got a family that I'd never had before; she's had that all her life."

"I don't need you to make me feel guilty." Catherine said even though Charlie hadn't meant it like that.

"How about counselling or something, I went to see a shrink when I was under the charge of child services, and after being in a war zone. I know it sounds like a load of crap but it does help, and you're both good at talking."

"You think we need a shrink?" Catherine asked not sure she liked the advice her eldest child was offering.

"I don't want to answer that for fear of not being able to come home again." Charlie joked. "You just need to try talking. It's worth a shot mum, pretty soon she'll be going off to college and if you don't repair things now you'll regret it forever."

"You sound like a shrink."

"Working with psych at the moment. Anyway Mum I got to go; I'll call you soon to see how it's going."

"Ok honey take care, love you."

"Back at ya mum." Charlie replied hanging up.

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Charlie always had a way of speaking sense, she was right they needed to do something and something fast. Getting up off of the sofa she made her way upstairs to Lindsey's room. Knocking on the door she got no response so she walked in expecting to find her gone but the teenager was asleep, Lindsey looked younger than she was and so sweet. It was amazing how quickly she'd grown up; Catherine sat at the edge of the bed and moved the teenager's hair away from her face. Lindsey stirred and looked at her mother.

"I'm sorry." Lindsey said and she meant it.

"So am I." Catherine replied. "So you called Charlie?" She asked and the teenager nodded.

"Told me we need a shrink, I think she's right." Lindsey replied to Catherine's amazement.

"I know she's right." Catherine said. "I shouldn't have slapped you, and I promise I won't do it again."

"I shouldn't have said what I said, especially knowing what Charlie went through. She had a go at me for saying it." Lindsey admitted and Catherine nodded the fact that Charlie hadn't said anything to her spoke volumes about what she thought on the subject, Catherine knew that she and Charlie would have a chat about that in the near future and she wasn't looking forward to it. But there and then her focus was on getting her and Lindsey back on track.

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Two months later.

Summer vacation had finally arrived and the Willows women were on their 7th therapy session. This week they were talking about how they could appreciate one another more, and Lindsey commented that they used to get on better when she went away to camp.

"I asked but you said you didn't want to go to camp this year." Catherine replied. Lindsey said that she didn't, according to her Camp was for kids and she wasn't a kid.

"I think it's a good idea you spending time away from one another for a while, no contact at all." The therapist said.

"Where can I go? What about Florida with my friends?" Lindsey asked and Catherine shook her head, there was no way Catherine would let Lindsey go to Florida. "New York?" Lindsey finally asked.

"Isn't that where your other daughter lives?" The therapist asked as Charlie had been mentioned on several occasions. "Is that an option?"

"Charlie has a lot on her plate, she's incredibly busy." Catherine replied not wanting to put more pressure on her eldest daughter. "However I know she wouldn't mind and would be happy to help." Catherine admitted.

"Ok then it's settled." And with that the session was ended.

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Catherine was telling Nick about what was happening with Lindsey and he was supportive of the idea. He thought that the break would do mother and daughter good, and he knew that Lindsey would love spending time with her big sister. The plan was for Lindsey to spend 3 weeks with Charlie in New York, then the pair were planning to drive back to Las Vegas. Catherine wasn't allowed to call the apartment, Charlie would call her as normal but Lindsey was off limits. No communication between the two was allowed except in the case of an emergency, however as Charlie was a former Paramedic, been a medic in the Air Force, and was training to be a doctor Catherine had nothing to worry about.

"She'll be fine." Nick reassured her.

"I know Lindsey will, and so will I. It's Charlie I'm worried about." Catherine sighed. "She's got yearly finals soon and needs to concentrate; she doesn't need to be stressed out by her teenage sister and mental mother."

"She knows her limits so will stick to them. Don't worry Charlie will be more than fine." Nick said knowing what the Medical Student was like; she'd dealt with worse things than her mother and sister.

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The Willow's household was quiet that afternoon as Lindsey packed for her trip that was to begin the next day. Catherine had already given her lots of instructions about how not to put her sister out and various other things. She was about to hand out another instruction when Lindsey said that she would remind her sister to call when they returned from the airport, she would make sure Charlie got plenty of rest and didn't put too much pressure on her bad leg or over do it.

"How did you?" Catherine started but then stopped as she gave out the same instructions each time Lindsey spent time with her sister. Then Lindsey added that Charlie knew the list word for word anyway, and would ring Catherine later and say she was doing all the things she'd mentioned.

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"Ok be careful, be safe, have fun, look after your sister and give her a hug from me." Catherine said as Lindsey was about to go through to the departure lounge. Catherine was holding back the tears as she thought about how hard it was going to be for her over the next few weeks, she'd gone ahead and offered to do extra shifts at the lab for something to do.

"See you in a few weeks." Lindsey said giving her mother a hug.

"Looking forward to it." Catherine replied suddenly aware of how quickly her daughter was growing up.

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The drive home Catherine cried, she thought about what it would be like saying goodbye to Lindsey when she went off to college. It wouldn't be too far away, then she thought about what it had been like seeing Charlie off for New York nearly 2 years ago. Her eldest daughter had made a real life for herself despite everything she'd been through; Charlie had blossomed in New York and was doing well at Medical School. There was a guy she mentioned every now and then too; Catherine hoped Lindsey would be able to fill her in on that aspect of Charlie's life.

"This has to work." Catherine said to herself. "I need to get things right with Lindsey." She also felt that she owed it to Charlie to be a good mother to Lindsey, to show her that she could be a good parent.

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Charlie was hurriedly cleaning her apartment; she wanted things to be nice and neat for when the teenager arrived. She knew Lindsey wouldn't care what state the place was in but it mattered to Charlie. Ethan however, just sat there and watched in amusement as she fluffed up the pillows for the third time on the couch.

"She's a teenager Charl; she doesn't care about what the pillows are like. All she cares about is that she's in New York, away from her mother, and staying with her fantastic big sister." Ethan said taking the pillow away from her and hitting her with it. They were 8 months into their relationship and to be honest Ethan was nervous about meeting the little sister. He'd already met Sara when she'd come to stay before Warrick's death, the brunette former CSI had warmed to him straight away. Sara loved that Ethan was an architect and had nothing to do with the world that so many of Charlie's family worked in, the pair went well together and it was great seeing Charlie happy. Sara had given him her seal of approval before she'd left.

"So I'll see you tomorrow night for dinner." Charlie said grabbing her purse from the counter, giving him a kiss and heading off to the airport to pick Lindsey up before he had chance to respond.

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"Hey Kid." Charlie smiled giving Lindsey a hug as she emerged from arrivals with her unnecessarily large suitcase.

"Next time I'm flying first class." Lindsey complained but she was smiling.

"As long as you're paying." Charlie replied picking up the large (and heavy) suitcase and led the way outside for a cab. The teenager looked tired but pleased to see her older sister.

"So when am I meeting mystery man?" Lindsey asked eager to meet Ethan.

"Tomorrow and not a word to mum, this is all happening on my terms." Charlie replied momentarily forgetting about the non communication rule. "And I'm at the hospital early so you'll have to look after yourself. Any problems I'll give you my beeper number so you know how to reach me, and the hospital is four blocks from the apartment." Charlie was making sure Lindsey could get hold of her in an emergency, she wanted to make sure the young girl was safe.

"Mum's number 1 on speed dial, Sara 2, Charles 3, your phone book is on the stand by the phone with all numbers in it. And if all else fails 911. I know the drill." Lindsey sighed suddenly realising how much her sister was like their mother.

"Good." Charlie replied.

----

As Ethan had said Lindsey didn't notice the freshly plumped pillows, all she noticed was the TV remote and promptly sat down next to it.

"Linds I'm just gonna call mum, if you need me yell." Charlie said heading into her room.

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"Willows." Catherine answered her cell, she'd been waiting for it to ring all day, she wanted to make sure Lindsey had gotten there safely.

"I'm back, everything's fine and I'm glad I replaced the TV remote batteries when I did." Charlie said. "So mum how are you?" She asked as she sat down on her bed.

"Hoping this works out, a teenage daughter's hard to cope with; at least with you I got a 25 year old who was very amiable." Catherine said with a sigh.

"I suggest to ring Charlie or Shell, they'll give you a few tips and a few coping strategies." Charlie advised, Charles and Shell Grant had been there through Charlie's teenage years, they knew all there was to know about dealing with a rebellious teenager. "Or you could always hide until she goes off to college."

"Thanks for the advice – not!" Catherine joked. "Ok now that's over time to focus on you. How are you doing?" Catherine asked as if realising that she'd been neglecting her eldest daughter recently. Charlie started filling her in on Medical School and Hospital developments. "And what about outside of that? What's his name?" Catherine asked unable to remember the name of the guy responsible for making her daughter happy.

"Ethan and he's fine." Charlie replied blushing over the phone.

"Will I ever get to meet him? I'm not trying to be pushy but I am interested in your life." Catherine asked, in all honesty the older woman was dying to meet Ethan, knowing that Sara had met him made her a little jealous. All Catherine wanted to do was to give him the once over and check that he was good enough for Charlie, and run a DNA test to see if he'd committed and crimes in the Las Vegas area.

"Tell you what I'll see if he can come to town when Lindsey and I do." Charlie suggested to placate her mother. Then Lindsey shouted her so she told her mother she'd call soon and went to see what the teenager wanted.

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On her return to the living room Charlie found Lindsey stood staring at Ethan who'd turned up with flowers and chocolate. Lindsey had never seen him before so was shocked at the sight of the architect who was wearing ripped jeans and a baseball hat, her first instinct was to think that he was a burglar.

"I just thought you might like these, and I left my blue tie here and I need it for tomorrow." Ethan said to Charlie, who was stood smiling at the situation; Lindsey however wasn't impressed at her sister's lack of reaction.

"You know this guy?" Lindsey asked impatiently.

"Lindsey Willows meet Ethan Hopkirk my boyfriend. Ethan meet my kid sister Lindsey." Charlie replied smiling. "Who wants a soda?" She asked heading into the kitchen whilst the two shook hands and she heard Lindsey start to interrogate the young man.

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	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A few weeks later

"Officer down!! I repeat officer down!!!" The call sent shockwaves through the entire team, everyone heard the call. The team immediately responded and went to the hospital.

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"You all packed?" Charlie asked Lindsey, they were getting ready for the drive to Vegas. It had been a good few weeks with the two sisters catching up and getting to know one another again; Charlie liked spending time with her younger sister and showing her the city. Lindsey had enjoyed the break from her mother, but was glad to get back to Vegas as she knew Charlie had her own life. They were about to head out to start loading the car when the phone rang.

"Yello." Charlie answered picking it up. "Nance what's up?" She caught her aunt sobbing and immediately her thoughts turned bad. "Nancy?" Charlie asked and the panic caught the attention of Lindsey. Jeremy took hold of the phone and gave the news to Charlie. "Ok J. Call me the second anything changes, anything. We're on the way." She hung up the phone and turned to Lindsey.

The younger sister had already started crying as she'd guessed who the conversation was about. Lindsey went as if to fall but Charlie caught her in time.

"Linds she'll be ok."

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He'd thought about calling Charlie but then he thought Catherine's sister would be the better choice with her being in the city. It was a tough call and he heard her start to crumble, he just hoped she was ok making the call to Catherine's daughters. It had been a hard call and Grissom had thought about calling Sara as he knew she'd want to be on hand for Charlie, he decided to wait and see, he knew that Charlie would call her if she felt the need too. In the meantime he was sat there in the hospital waiting for news; he was expecting Catherine's mother and sister to arrive shortly. The rest of the team was on its way too.

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"What if she?" Lindsey asked as they were on their way to the airport, Charlie had managed to get them the last seats on a flight through a friend of hers. The teenager had come fainted and shortly after coming round Charlie had started calling in favours.

"Think positive." Was all Charlie said, she was worried, Nancy had sounded like she was in a right mess as Charlie had expected her to be. Charlie's main concern right there and then was making sure Lindsey was ok and getting them safely to the hospital.

"She might die, Daddy died, Warrick died." Lindsey said through tears. Charlie took hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, she told Lindsey that their mother was a fighter and wouldn't give up without the chance to comment on one aspect of their lives that she wasn't too impressed on.

"She's right Lindsey." Ethan reassured the young girl, he was on the other side of the teenager in case she fainted again. The moment Charlie had called him he'd gone to help and had offered to come with them.

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Luckily Lindsey slept for most of the flight but she was restless, Charlie didn't close her eyes for one second, she was scared. She'd only had a mother in her life for a few years and now she was going to lose her, and poor Lindsey had seen her father die and was now facing the possibility of losing her only parent left.

"How you holding up?" Ethan asked holding Charlie's hand.

"Barely, I'm worried about Mum and Lindsey." She replied sounding grave.

"Whatever happens you'll be ok, I know you will, and things will work out." Ethan replied placing a kiss on her temple as the Captain announced that they would be landing in 10 minutes.

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People had been coming and going for hours at the hospital; they'd all given their love and asked how things were going. Nancy, Lilly and the CSI team were there waiting. No change, the surgeons had managed to remove the knife fragments and Catherine was now in intensive care. The blade had damaged her liver and she'd lost a lot of blood, she was critical and far from stable. Eventually they spotted Charlie and company coming along the hall, upon seeing her grandmother Lindsey went running and was soon sobbing in Lilly's arms. Nancy got up and hugged Charlie, the two women had a strong bond and Nancy felt better after seeing Charlie.

"Any more news?" Charlie asked and Nancy shook her head. "I'm going too." Charlie said heading off in the direction of the nurse's station, she'd worked at the hospital as a medical student before moving to New York, and also as a paramedic. Ethan was left standing there until Lindsey remembered him.

"Grandma this is Ethan." Lindsey said introducing the young man,

"Charlie's boyfriend." She added trying to explain and the man in question blushed.

"Lovely to finally meet you, just wish it were under better circumstances." Lilly said shaking his hand as Charlie returned with a doctor in tow.

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	5. Chapter 5

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Chapter 5

"Right I want you to tell them what you just told me." Charlie demanded, she was getting ready to kick off and Ethan knew it wasn't going to be a pretty sight.

"Look Miss Flynn." The doctor started to say but she cut him off.

"No, don't tell me what to do." Ethan took a step towards her but she moved away and then turned to her family. "I need to speak to Lindsey." Charlie added reaching out for her younger sister and almost dragging her away from the others.

----

Lindsey was led outside by her sister to a bench where she was told to sit down.

"It's bad isn't it?" Lindsey asked and Charlie nodded, Lindsey started to cry and Charlie knelt down in front of her. Charlie explained that there had been a lot of internal damage, more than they'd first thought. And there was also her liver; Catherine was facing the prospect of having to have some of her liver removed if it didn't start to heal itself. The blood loss had also been substantial, it was still very much touch and go for the mother of two.

"What if she dies?" Lindsey sobbed and Charlie threw her arms around the scared teenager.

"Then it's you and me kiddo, I'm not going anywhere. You've got me I promise." Charlie tried to reassure her. "You'll always have me." Charlie said pulling her closer, she'd already made the decision to keep Lindsey with her should the worst happen.

"I'm scared Charlie." Lindsey sobbed clinging onto her big sister.

"I know you are kiddo, I know." Charlie held Lindsey until she stopped crying.

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Lilly sat down after the doctor had told them everything, she now understood the look on Charlie's face and why she'd taken Lindsey outside. Her thoughts were in the room where her daughter was fighting for her life, and also outside where her granddaughters were trying to come to terms with everything. She looked at Nancy who had broken down and was being comforted by her husband and at the CSI team who were wondering what was going to happen next. Then she looked at the man she'd just met, he was worried about Charlie and how she was doing. Lilly felt sorry for him being thrown into the deep end of a family in crisis, in the back of her mind however she knew it would prove how he really felt about Charlie.

"One of us needs to take Lindsey home so she can get some rest." Charlie said as she returned, she was actually half carrying the teenager. Straight away Lilly volunteered, she felt the need to be with Lindsey whilst her daughter was in the room hooked up to a ventilator. She now knew how it must have felt for Catherine after Charlie had had her accident the other year, and back then Catherine and Charlie hadn't 'officially' met.

"I'll call if and when anything changes," Charlie said to her grandmother who nodded.

"Make sure you do, although I wish you were coming with us." Lilly said but she knew Charlie wasn't intending to go anywhere.

"I'll see you later kiddo." Charlie said giving Lindsey a kiss on the head before the pair left.

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Charlie sat down and was joined by Ethan who took hold of her hand, he didn't say anything, he didn't need too. Nancy soon sat down on the other side of Charlie and took hold of her other hand.

"Things will work out." Nancy said for herself more than for anyone else. "Takes more than this to knock her off of her feet."

"Yeah Charl, I don't know your mother but from what you've told me I agree." Ethan said giving her hand a squeeze.

"I just hope Lindsey gets through this ok." Charlie sighed and the others knew what she was thinking. Nancy suspected that Charlie would want Lindsey to live with her and she'd support the decision, Lindsey would need her sister to get over losing her mother – if the situation came to that.

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"Thanks for coming." Nancy said turning to Ethan as Charlie had gone to chase up someone who might be able to tell them more, like Lilly she'd studied the young man and watched him interacting with both Charlie and Lindsey. "I know Charlie might not say it but I know she appreciates you being here."

"There's nowhere else I'd want to be right now in all fairness," Ethan replied, he didn't like to think that Charlie could be sat there without him going through this. "And I know what she's like; I just wish we were here bringing Lindsey back rather than all this." He sighed. "I don't know when she's going to break though." He added and Nancy knew what he meant, Charlie was going to break down at some point once she stopped.

"I'll call her brother on that one, he knows what to do." Nancy replied.

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Lindsey was asleep in Catherine's bed when Nancy returned from the hospital, she'd left Charlie and Ethan, Charlie hadn't said a word since she'd come back from wherever she'd been. Nancy thought Charlie would be better off just having Ethan there with her; there'd been no change at all and there wasn't likely to be any change in Catherine's condition.

"How's she been?" Nancy asked her mother as they sat in the kitchen with a cup of tea.

"Fretful, cried herself to sleep. What about Charlie?" Lilly replied and Nancy shrugged, it was hard to say how Charlie was, she doubted Charlie herself knew. "Catherine is going to be ok, call it mother's instinct." Lilly added giving her daughter a hug.

"I think we ought to call Charles to get his advice on Charlie though, give us an idea of what it's going to be like when the dam breaks." Nancy suggested and Lilly agreed going to get the phone and relevant number.

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Twenty minutes later Nancy hung up the phone. Charles hadn't been able to give her a decent answer as 'Charlie's a very complex character' who did things in her own time in her own way.

"I'm worried about her," Lilly mused, "You, Catherine and Lindsey are predictable, you're all like me…I suspect that she takes after her father rather than the Flynn's."

"Thankful for small mercies then." Nancy sighed with a slight smile; it could be a blessing or a curse that she didn't take after the Flynn women.

"She's too tough for her own good that young lady, but she'll get by. She's been through worse than this." Lilly replied sadly, then realised that Lindsey had also been through worse.

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Several hours later they returned to the hospital Catherine had started to stir so the family had been called, Charlie was pacing the floor waiting for everyone to arrive, she didn't want to go in to see Catherine without them. She went and picked the teenager up and gave her a hug.

"Your turn to go to bed now." Lindsey said to her big sister who still hadn't put her down.

"You know she just didn't want to subject you to a lifetime of my cooking." Charlie sighed with a smile giving her sister a kiss on the head. At the comment Lindsey had also managed a smile.

"Doctor says we can go in and see her, she won't be fully awake for a while but she will wake up." Charlie added and Lilly started sobbing tears of relief. A lifetime seemed to have passed since they'd first arrived at the hospital, and now things had started to improve.

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The family started to go into the room where Catherine was but Charlie remained outside with Ethan, he put his arm around her and told her she should do as Lindsey said and go to bed. A few minutes later Lindsey came out of the room and asked Charlie to take her home, the older woman agreed.

"Why didn't you go in?" Lindsey asked as they made their way back home. Charlie couldn't answer as she didn't really know why she didn't go in to see her mother, there was just something stopping her and she couldn't explain what it was. "I don't think she knew we were there, but I told her you'd been outside the entire time." Charlie just sat in silence.

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When they got to the house Ethan went to sleep in the guest room and Lindsey went to hers, Charlie sat downstairs in the kitchen with Nancy watching over her every move.

"Lindsey told you to go to sleep." Nancy finally said as Charlie added sugar after sugar to her tea.

"Can't. My head's all messed up." Charlie replied standing up and heading towards the door.

"Charlie where are you going?" Nancy asked worriedly.

"Out, tell Ethan I'll be back later." She replied closing the door loudly behind her. Nancy sighed thinking that Charlie had finally hit the breaking point and what happened next wouldn't be pretty.

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Two hours later Ethan returned downstairs and spotted Nancy, Lilly and Lindsey sat around a table without Charlie.

"The dam's burst then." He sighed taking a seat at the table.

"She's been through more than most people and made it out ok." Lilly told him.

"But she's never come close to losing a parent before." Nancy sighed, and she was right. It had taken a while for Catherine and Charlie to build up their relationship and for Charlie to trust her. Now none of them knew how Charlie was going to cope.

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"I think we should head back to the hospital, I think that's where Charlie will go." Nancy suggested and the other women around the table agreed, Ethan however said he'd stay where he was and wait for Charlie, he figured she'd turn up at the house eventually and wanted to be there for her when she did.

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

She ran and ran for about an hour until she was forced to stop. She couldn't breath, she felt dizzy. She sat down and tried to catch her breath but she did what she'd tried not to do for the last few days, she started crying and couldn't stop. She cried for the next fifteen minutes and then got to her feet and started running again, crying had given her a new energy and she pounded the pavements trying to clear her head.

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Many thoughts played on her mind as she ran, the first time she slept on the streets, the first meeting with Charlie, with Sara. Getting herself sorted out so she graduated high school, her passing out of basic training. Then some horrible memories, lying there with her wounded colleagues hoping and praying someone would come to save them, then getting the news that Blake had been killed. She remembered the call saying Sara had been kidnapped, and then lastly the call about Catherine. Charlie knew that she had to stay strong, if only for Lindsey. The teenager needed someone strong to look after her, to pick her up from the sadness she was feeling and help her realise that everything was going to be alright. Lindsey looked up to her big sister and saw her as the role model to aspire to be like. Charlie had messed around and almost screwed up her entire life as a teen but managed to turn herself around, she knew that the teen respected that and that's why she listened to her older sister more than she listened to other people.

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She eventually made it back to the house and spotted that cars had gone; she knew they'd gone back to the hospital but she didn't want to face her mother, nor did she want to face questions about why she was limping as her leg had started playing up with how hard she had been running. She limped through the door and was greeted by a hug from Ethan, he'd been worried about her but was glad she'd come back. She told him where she'd been and what she'd done; he didn't say a word as she mentioned what she'd been thinking about. She shed a few tears as she spoke and then apologised for leaving him in the house.

"I knew you'd come back when you were ready." Ethan replied, "You do things in your own time and I get that, you need space and I'm happy to give it." He took hold of her hand. "I give it because I know you always come back, and I'll always be waiting for you." They sat there for a while in comfortable silence until the phone rang. Catherine was awake and had asked for her eldest daughter as she was the only one who wasn't there.

"We better get going." Charlie said standing up but Ethan pulled her back down.

"Not just yet, there's something you need to do first." He said and she frowned. "Say you'll marry me." His voice was barely above a whisper but she caught what he'd said. Her eyes widened in shock she had been expecting him to tell her to shower or something.

"I know we've not been together that long but I always believed that when you meet the right person you know. From the first date I was hooked, you were and are an amazing and incredible woman. You're strong but also so gentle. You don't open up to many people but you opened up to me and told me all about your past and that made me love you even more. I look at you and think about the future, a future that I want to spend with you. I know this is hardly the perfect time or the perfect place to be doing this but you are the perfect person. So, Charlotte Catherine Flynn, will you make me the happiest man on earth and accept my rather longwinded but sincere and honest proposal?" By this point he was down on one knee and Charlie was crying.

"Yes." Was all she said before kneeling down on the floor and giving him a hug, as she'd said yes he'd started crying too.

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They made it to the hospital 45 minutes later after Charlie had showered and changed. When they arrived Charlie was holding Ethan's hand and didn't want to let it go.

"How is she?" Charlie asked her grandmother.

"Waiting to see you, we told her you'd literally just gone home when we got here, told her you'd been here the entire time." Lilly replied and Charlie nodded appreciative of how her grandmother had been.

"I'm suppose I better go see her then." Charlie said letting go of Ethan's hand and going into the room where Catherine was.

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Catherine's face lit up when her eldest daughter walked into the room; she'd been waiting to see her since she'd been told she was in Vegas.

"So I was looking forward to driving myself and the kid out here to see you, imagine my disappointment when I have to hop foot it here via plane." Charlie said putting on a brave face for her mother. "Now tell me were you that worried about my driving that you had to end up in hospital?" Catherine managed a laugh at her daughters joke, but she could tell that Charlie had been really upset and worried.

"You got me, and I hear you brought a friend along with you?" Catherine asked, she knew Charlie wouldn't want to talk about what had happened, not there at least. She had an image of them discussing it another time in a more relaxed situation; Catherine really didn't think Charlie could cope with it there and then.

"Didn't want me to be here on my own, he worries too much about me." Charlie replied taking a seat. "So I take it Lindsey's told you about Ethan?" Catherine nodded; Lindsey had first fussed over her mother before telling her about Charlie's mega cute and really nice boyfriend who was at the house with her. "There's a … erm well something." Charlie started but Catherine yawned.

"What is it honey?" Catherine asked.

"Nothing, you'll rest up, I'll see you later." Charlie replied giving her a kiss and then leaving her mother alone in the room.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"She's tired." Charlie told everyone when she got into the waiting area. She took a deep breath before speaking. "And I'm sorry but I've got to get back to New York, I need to catch up on some work. Sorry." She replied walking off, Ethan mumbled an apology before following Charlie.

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"What's going on?" Ethan asked once they were outside.

"She's fine, everything's going to be fine, there's no need for me to be here anymore. And I do have work to be doing." Charlie replied but he could see through her answer, she was scared and she had issues to be dealt with.

"Ok then, I'll sort out the flights." Ethan said shoving his hands in his pockets and following her as she started to walk off.

----

Catherine had started sobbing when Charlie had walked out of the room, she knew something was troubling the twenty-something and she felt helpless. Charlie was keeping something from her and Catherine wanted to know what it was. Lindsey had entered the room in tears a few minutes later saying that Charlie was going back to New York, she had work to do. Catherine knew better and so did Lindsey.

"She's glad you're ok though, was always speaking to the doctors and finding out other bits. Got angry with them too. It was scary but she was doing it for you." Lindsey replied but she was slightly angry at her older sister for leaving. Lindsey didn't understand why the person she considered to be one of the strongest people in the world was leaving when people needed her the most, Lindsey wanted to have her big sister around, only she knew what she was going through.

"It's ok sweetheart, Charlie's a very busy woman I understand." Catherine lied trying to make Lindsey feel better and wishing she could do the same for herself.

-----

"So when your family needs you you get on a plane and abandon them. That makes sense." Sara said to Charlie who was sat with a mug of tea in the chair opposite her. She'd been back in New York 3 days and Sara had surprised her with a visit on her way to see Catherine who was still in hospital.

"I guess I'm more like my mother than I realised." Charlie replied earning a severe glare from her older sister. Sara wasn't happy with Charlie for what she'd done, but Sara knew Charlie had her reasons and suspected it was the old abandonment injury flaring up again.

"You told her about the engagement yet?" Sara asked, the proposal had been the first thing Charlie had told Sara when she'd turned up at the apartment, Charles had also been told soon after it had happened. Charlie shook her head; she'd not spoken to Catherine since she'd left Las Vegas. She'd called the hospital and left messages with the staff for her several times, and she'd left messages on the Willow's answer machine but she hadn't spoken to any of them since she'd left.

"She'll be thrilled for you, I know I am, you deserve to be happy and you won't get a better guy than Ethan. I think it'd boost her recovery too, something to focus on." Sara wanted Charlie to call her mother, in fact she'd asked Charlie to go to Las Vegas with her. Charlie was very reluctant to return saying she'd be there if she was needed but she wasn't, Charlie said nobody needed her. Sara had rolled her eyes at that comment and said nothing.

-----

Catherine greeted Sara with a massive smile, she was glad Sara had taken the trouble to come and see her.

"You look good Cath." Sara smiled and Catherine laughed as she looked far from good.

"Good poker face." Catherine replied.

"Charlie sends her love, told me she's been speaking to the doctors daily." Sara said and Catherine nodded. "Whatever's bothering her is a big thing and nothing you or I do or say is going to make it better. This is something she needs to do herself, if that makes any sense." Sara tried to explain and Catherine nodded knowing that Sara would have done her best to get Charlie to come with her.

"Why do I feel like we've stepped back in time with her and this time it's not going to work out?" Catherine said in a low voice. Sara didn't know what to say, her relationship with Charlie was fine but she'd known the medical student a lot longer than Catherine and knew her better.

"If I thought I'd be able to help I would, but in the meantime let's talk about you. Any cute doctors?" Sara smiled.

----

Catherine and Sara avoided the topic of Charlie for the rest of the visit, but when Sara was about to leave Catherine mentioned her.

"Tell me I haven't lost her." Catherine half said half asked. Sara couldn't give her an answer as she didn't know for sure; she and Charlie had had numerous arguments. The pair had suffered a massive blow to their relationship when Sara had quit as a CSI, Charlie didn't like the way she'd said goodbye to everyone. The pair of them managed to make up; they always would do as Charlie knew that Sara would never leave her.

"She doesn't like being left." Sara said thinking out loud. "She was left too many times as a kid; it gets to her more than most people. People she loved and trusted went away, not all of them came back." Sara paused and took a breath. "If I'm honest I think that's what's wrong. I had a chance to walk away from her and I didn't, so our arguments get resolved and if I pop off the radar for a bit she doesn't care. I've always come back, Charles always came back. What happens between the pair of you now is down to whoever makes the first move. Experience tells me the move has to come from you." Sara said and looked at Catherine who was thinking hard.

"I walked off once and she's worried I'll do it again?" Catherine asked and Sara nodded in response. "But what I don't get is how she managed to stay so strong; Lindsey told me she was brilliant with her."

"She's good at hiding her emotions so as to not make other people worry. It's just what she's like. She would have felt the need to be strong to look after Lindsey, she loves her little sister and would do anything for her." Sara replied before the nurse came to tell them visiting hours were over and Catherine needed rest. Sara left Catherine alone with her thoughts which in turn left Catherine with a sleepless night.

-----


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Three weeks past, Catherine was released from hospital but she'd still not spoken to Charlie. The younger woman had been leaving lots of messages but always called when she knew there'd be someone else in to answer the phone. Since Catherine had gone home Charlie had switched to emails, anything to avoid direct contact. Catherine had tried to call Charlie several times but she had a feeling Charlie was screening all her calls; she even failed to pick up when Catherine had called using Lindsey's cell.

Lindsey came home from a friend's house to find her mother staring at the phone; she knew she'd tried to call Charlie.

"She's not getting so good at responding to my emails," Lindsey said sitting down next to her mother. "I know she's got issues but she's being a real baby at the moment. You should tell her off." Catherine laughed at Lindsey's suggestion but thought she had a point. Charlie needed to be told a few home truths and be made to realise that she had a family who cared for her, and that they wouldn't be leaving her.

----

Charlie slammed the bedroom door, Ethan had told her she should speak to her mother and she'd bitten his head off for it. She felt bad and curled up on the bed where she cried herself to sleep; Ethan had joined her and held her close. When she'd woken up she'd apologised for her behaviour and he'd nodded, he knew she had things to work through but he knew she needed calling on her behaviour, better still he was brave enough to do it.

"You know you're right," She'd sniffed once she'd woken up. "I need to speak to mum, but I'm going to sound stupid." Ethan had reassured her that Catherine wouldn't find her stupid, she'd understand.

"And anyway, she's your mother; she loves you no matter what." Ethan said taking hold of her hand. "And anyway it's time to show her this lovely and expensive ring you've been given." He slowly placed an engagement ring on her finger; he'd spent the last few weeks trying to find the perfect one.

----

That weekend Charlie found herself on a plane out to Las Vegas and Catherine found herself on a plane to New York. Charlie was the first to arrive at her destination and knocked on the door. A stunned Lindsey opened the door.

"Oh god!" Lindsey exclaimed. "Mum's gonna be well pissed off with you." Lindsey added with a smile.

"Less of the smirking and where is she?" Charlie asked stepping into the house and dropping her bags on the floor.

"Probably landing in New York on her way to your apartment to ask you why you've been such a bitch recently." Lindsey folded her arms across her chest and scowled at her older sister. "Why have you been such a cow? Mum nearly died and she needed you, but could you be there for her? No because you're a selfish heartless bitch!" Lindsey waited for a reaction but got nothing. "I used to look up to you, I though you were brave and loved us but you don't do you? Charlotte Flynn only thinks about herself and doesn't give a monkey's about her family. But you know what we don't need you anymore. Mum's fine and I don't know why she's bothering to go to see you, I wouldn't." Lindsey was glaring at her older sister who'd just stood there and not said a word.

"Think what you want Lindsey, you don't know what's going on." Charlie replied and Lindsey proceeded to have another go at her, again Charlie didn't respond she just stood there as Lindsey tore her to shreds. Lindsey got louder and angrier until she started to hit her older sister, and pounded at her chest in frustration and slapped her so hard Charlie's lip split. It was then that Charlie held up a hand to get her sister to stop her attack, shocked at her actions Lindsey broke down and started sobbing into her sister's chest.

----

"Hi Mrs Willows." Ethan said opening Charlie's apartment door.

"Do I know you?" Catherine asked surprised at the young man opening her daughter's door.

"Ethan Hopkirk, Charlie's boyfriend." He introduced himself letting Catherine into the apartment. "She's not here." Catherine asked when she'd be back and Ethan told her Charlie had gone to Vegas to see her.

"Mind if I use the phone?" Catherine asked and Ethan passed it to her so she could call Lindsey.

----

"Hello?" Charlie answered the phone; Lindsey was still in a state and not able to talk.

"I must say I love the new décor in your apartment." Catherine said and Charlie laughed.

"Hi Mum." Charlie said. "The phrase great minds springs to mind."

"I agree. If you can hang tight I can be home in a couple of hours." Catherine said working out the timing in her head.

"Ok." Charlie replied and Catherine told her she'd call when she had flight details.

----

After Charlie had hung up Lindsey looked at her sister, Charlie's face was red and her lip was slightly swollen.

"Guess I'm more like mum than I thought." Lindsey half sighed, half laughed. "At least now I understand where she was coming from when she hit me." Charlie sat down on the chair across from her and didn't say anything. "I guess I thought you were like my dad. He wasn't around much, when he was he always tried to get one up on mum. Be the cool one, make her the bad guy." Lindsey started to explain and Charlie listened to her sister without saying a single word. "But I know you're not, you're nothing like him. I didn't like how much you've upset mum by not being here, it's not been nice. I don't understand why you left, it's not like you and … well … I don't know."

"Shrinks call it the fight or flight response, I guess I thought I'd done my share of fighting." Charlie tried to offer some form of explanation but she couldn't, she didn't really have one.

"Mum's not going to be happy with me after she's seen you." Lindsey replied looking at her sister's face.

"I bit my lip and split it. End of ok." Charlie said and Lindsey nodded, thankful that her sister would do that; Catherine would have been likely to go mad at her for hitting her older sister.

----

Lindsey was upstairs in bed when Catherine got home, Charlie had been sat up in the lounge reading a book; Catherine looked tired but greeted her eldest daughter with a huge hug.

"You look good Mum." Charlie said and Catherine returned the compliment pulling her up on the split lip, Charlie told her she'd bit it and Catherine didn't bother to question her on it. Catherine was just glad to see her eldest daughter and be able to hold her again.

"You've really had me worried; at times I was even angry with you for leaving like you did. But I know you had a reason and we need to work things out together. I know I let you down in the worst possible way but I'm not going to do that again." Catherine said deciding to get straight to the point. "I may have walked out on my baby but I'm not going to walk out on you now, it's going to take more than some criminal to keep me away from my daughters. Charlotte, you and Lindsey are the two most important people in the world to me, my two angels who are my reason for keeping on fighting."

"I was scared; I didn't know what to do." Charlie sobbed, "I thought that you'd go and leave me, and I'd be back to having no parents again. I didn't want that." Charlie cried into her mother's arms and Catherine ended up in tears too.

-----


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Lindsey came downstairs to find Charlie and Catherine sat around the kitchen table, they looked as if they'd cleared the air. Lindsey went and sat next to her mother and rested her head on the table.

"Everything ok?" Lindsey asked half asleep.

"Everything's fine." Catherine replied kissing Lindsey on the head. Catherine had done a lot of thinking on the flight back from New York, and had reached a major decision, looking at her two daughters she knew she'd made the right one.

"Well almost everything." Charlie said standing up. "You see…well … erm."

"Oh no you've split up with Ethan." Lindsey said feeling sorry for her older sister.

"No … right, ok, here goes. A few weeks ago Ethan asked me to marry him and I said yes." As soon as she'd gotten the words out her mother and sister started screaming with delight and demanding to look at the ring.

"When?"

"Where?"

"How?" Questions were being fired at her, and when she told them the details they both squealed with delight.

"Can I be bridesmaid?" Lindsey asked hopefully. Charlie said maybe, they hadn't sat down to sort out any plans just yet, there'd been too much other stuff going on.

-----

Charlie went upstairs to sleep leaving Lindsey and Catherine downstairs. The moment Charlie had gone Lindsey blabbed about what she'd done before Catherine had arrived. Catherine was surprised and slightly angry about Lindsey's actions, but didn't say anything because she knew how angry Lindsey must have been feeling with herself. She also understood why Charlie hadn't said anything, Charlie was a very complex character but everything – well almost everything – she did was for a reason. She'd gone back to New York to try and protect herself; she'd not told Catherine about Lindsey's outburst to protect her younger sister.

"Do you think she's mad at me for hitting her?" Lindsey asked in a quiet voice.

"No, Charlie understands anger and knows you well enough. She's not angry at all – trust me." Catherine replied meaning every word.

"Good." Lindsey replied before smiling. "I can't believe she's getting married. I wonder when she'll have kids – I can't wait to be an aunt." At that Catherine rolled her eyes before realising that Charlie becoming a mother would make her a grandmother.

"One step at a time Linds, one step at a time." Catherine said not wanting to make the girl too excited.

-----

The family was thrilled to hear Charlie's good news, something nice after nearly losing Catherine. A wedding would be something big to celebrate, Lindsey took it upon herself to go and buy wedding magazines to start planning.

"So how much thought did you put into your answer?" Nancy asked Charlie, the pair were in the kitchen washing up.

"The easiest decision I've ever made." Charlie beamed. "People always told me that when you know you know and I knew, if you know what I mean?" Nancy laughed and nodded.

"You know next time we all see him we're going to grill him to find out everything there is to know. Catherine's going to get the lab to run checks on him."

"I know," Charlie replied, "But I'm just so happy, I can't describe how it feels to have told you all." Charlie turned to face her aunt. "All my life all I ever wanted was a family and it's finally happening. And you've no idea how that makes me feel." Charlie had a tear running down her cheek and Nancy gave her a hug, they didn't know that Catherine was stood at the door listening.

"I really wish you all the happiness in the world, if anyone deserves it you do."

----

Charlie was on her way back to New York when Nancy sat down with Catherine. Catherine told her that she'd heard the conversation in the kitchen and it had made her feel really guilty for giving her up, but then she reminded herself of the woman Charlie had turned into because of it and deep down she knew it had been the right thing to do.

"In those few moments before I lost consciousness I thought about the girls, I've missed out on so much with them, both of them. Seeing Lindsey now makes me think about Charlie at that age, I'm always wondering what she was like and all I can do is ask her." Catherine admitted. "I thought that was it, and that my girls would have to lose their mother. I don't want that to turn into a reality. Neither of them would be able to cope." Nancy knew Catherine was right, and of the two girls she suspected that Lindsey would be the one to cope the best.

"But let's focus on the positive, you are here and you're going to be mother of the bride." Nancy said with a smile.

"I know, and Ethan and I had a lovely chat when he drove me to the airport. There's something about him that makes you trust him."

"More importantly makes Charlie trust him." Nancy replied. "You should have seen him, standing at her side in the hospital; he knew when to speak and when to let her be on her own. I suspect they're made to last."

Catherine then began to think about the wedding and the future. She could see Charlie finishing medical school, having a few kids who'd have her cheeky grin. Then she thought about Lindsey's kids and what they'd look like, it was harder to picture them, she couldn't imagine Lindsey being the type to have kids. But she could easily imagine Charlie with 3 or more kids, the nice house and the soccer games on the weekend. She really hoped her eldest daughter would have that.

-----

Back in New York Charlie filled a pleased Ethan in on what had happened with her mother and sister. He was glad that they'd managed to sort things out, now they were able to start planning for the wedding and could officially tell all their friends their good news.

"So where and when should we get married?" Ethan asked beaming; he couldn't wait to get married.

"San Francisco, as soon as possible." She'd shocked him with her answer but it had been something she'd thought about a lot. She even knew the church were she wanted to get married; it was just around the corner from Charlie and Michelle.

-----


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Three months later:

The room was silent; to say the news was unexpected was something of an understatement.

"Why?" Nick asked shocked.

"It's just something that I have to do." Catherine replied.

"Have to do?" Greg asked not believing his ears.

"No, something I want to do. Life is short; we know that better than anyone working here. I don't want to waste any more time, my family are too important." Catherine had thought long and hard about her decision, and knew that she was making the right one.

"But it seems really extreme." Nick exclaimed, and Catherine looked at Brass hoping that he'd understand.

"You know what's best for you and your family," Brass replied. "It's going to be a big loss to us but we know you're doing it for the right reasons."

"Thanks Jim." Catherine smiled glad to know that he was on her wavelength; it must have been a parent thing.

-----

Charlie was pacing the floor; Flynn was following her up and down the living room. Her other nephew Harry and niece Megan were sat watching her with smiles on their faces; it was funny in their eyes to see their favourite auntie so worked up.

"What if it goes wrong? What if I'm a rubbish wife? What if we have kids?" Charlie was talking to herself to the amusement of the kids and Michelle who was stood by the door watching.

"You know when Charles told me he wanted us to take you in I asked myself thousands of questions." Shell said coming into the room and sitting between her two youngest on the couch. "You were a teenage girl who had never known love or what it was like to be part of a family. I wondered if the two of us could cope with a teenager – we were both young. Then I wondered how you'd react to living with us." She smiled. "You were, you are one of the best things to happen to the pair of us, you made us a family and made me into the mother I am today. You have no need to ask yourself those questions because everything will be fine. Trust me." She stood up and went to give Charlie a hug.

----

"Today is a special day … no, erm, today … I would like to … I've known." Charles was speaking to himself in the mirror trying to get his speech sorted, even though Charlie had her mother now there was only ever going to be one person to walk her down the aisle. He'd been her rock, her foundation, the person who had first showed her what it was like to love someone.

"Whatever you say will be fine." Charlie said to him and he turned around embarrassed at being caught.

"I just want to get it right; I've waited long enough to get rid of you." He joked.

"True. I just wanted to check that you haven't done the big brother thing and scared my future husband to death." She replied shoving her hands in her pockets.

"No that's Sara's job, we decided. And she's the scarier of the pair of us." He was right about that, the Sidle stare was enough to stop anyone in their tracks.

The pair sat in comfortable silence for a while until Charlie spoke.

"Fancy a walk?" She asked and Charles nodded.

-----

As usual they walked to the park where it all started and sat down on 'their' bench. A long time had passed since they'd met there that cold night; both had changed a lot since then. She was no longer a scared little girl, and he was no longer a cop in his first month on duty.

"I sometimes wonder if I'll be enough for him." Charlie said. "Every so often those feelings I had as a kid come back and I think that I'm not good enough. I thought those feelings would stop as I got older but they didn't." She sounded like a child as she said it and Charles wrapped an arm around her.

"You are good enough, and you're loved by many people who intend on always being there for you. I won't let you down." Charles promised pulling her close.

----

Catherine, Lindsey and Sara were sat in the living room waiting for Charlie to get back. She and Charles spent more than an hour sat down at the park where their story had began, when they returned Charlie went straight upstairs rather than into the living room.

"Where is she?" Catherine asked looking forward to seeing her daughter.

"A few ghosts are haunting her again; she's exhausted and gone for a nap." Charles replied sitting down next to Sara. Straight away the group knew what he was referring too and Catherine decided to go and see her daughter.

----

Charlie was actually asleep when Catherine entered the bedroom; she took a seat in the chair next to the bed and watched her eldest child. The room was Charlie's room filled with many things from her teenage years. Even though the Grant's had moved house as their family expanded, they always made sure Charlie knew she had a home to go to.

About an hour later Charlie stirred and noticed her mother sat there still.

"Hey." Charlie yawned with a small smile.

"Hear you've had a tough day, emotionally at least." Charlie nodded at that and Catherine reassured her that everything was going to be ok. She was going to get the big day she deserved. "And I know that San Francisco has a lot of nice memories for you, but now you've got a future full of nice memories to make. You've got a great future ahead of you, all I ever wanted was the best for you and you're going to get it."

"Thanks mum." Charlie smiled as Lindsey came bouncing in.

-----

"How come I'm not chief bridesmaid?" Lindsey asked jumping on the bed so she was next to her older sister.

"Because Sara is, she's been in my life the longest and she's my big sister. You know originally I wasn't going to have any bridesmaid's and I can still go back to that." Charlie replied and Lindsey decided not to moan about the dress for not being as short as she'd like it to be.

"Ok, when are you going to show us your dress?" Lindsey asked, only Sara and Shell had seen the dress so far, the two women had spent a weekend in New York and she'd seen the perfect dress in the first shop they went into.

"The day after tomorrow." Charlie replied, that would be her wedding day and she was looking forward to it.

"And can I come to the party tonight?" Lindsey asked hoping to be allowed out on the town for her sister's hen night.

"No." Charlie and Catherine replied at the exact same moment causing them both to start laughing.

----


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

They'd relented and allowed Lindsey to have a drink with them before they headed out; the teenager and cousin Jeremy were babysitting the kids. Charles was out with the boys and the women were off out for Charlie's last night of freedom.

"To Charlie, the teenager who taught me what it was to be a parent." Shell said as the ladies went round to give her a toast, several of Charlie's friends had already made theirs.

"To the first of my grandchildren to get married, who in a short time in my life has given me many happy memories." Lilly said, she was thrilled to finally be able to tell her friends that her granddaughter would soon be married to someone with good social standing and on top of it all was a lovely man.

"My long-time drinking buddy I wish you a life of love, happiness and a daughter nothing like your mother." Nancy commented making everyone except Catherine laugh.

There was a bit of an uncomfortable silence as Catherine and Sara were figuring out who should go next, Sara nodded and Catherine spoke up.

"I'll admit that this is something I dreamed about hundreds of times, but never thought I'd see happen." Catherine said with a sad smile. "Every mother wants their children to be happy, that's all I've ever wanted for both of my girls. All I can offer you is a few words of wisdom, be strong, be safe, be loved and be yourself. The rest will fall into place. To Charlie." Catherine raised her glass and the other women followed suit. Charlie got up and gave her mother a kiss.

Sara stood up and smiled at her sister. "I heard about you before I knew you and even then I knew you were something special. Our first meeting was frosty but both hearts melted. Watching you become the person you are today has filled me with so much joy and pride, and I'll be even prouder after I see you walk up that aisle. You taught me a lot about love and about accepting yourself regardless of your past, you showed me how to move on and take on new challenges. You've been my sister, my best friend and my conscience, and I hope Ethan realises just how lucky he is getting you as his wife. So here's to Charlotte, my little sister." Charlie had tears in her eyes as she gave Sara a hug.

-----

The next day was a blur for Charlie as she barely stopped with last minute preparations and getting things sorted. She was early to bed on the eve of her wedding and even earlier to rise; Catherine heard her and followed her. Charlie walked to the park and sat on her bench, she didn't flinch when Catherine sat next to her as she'd noticed her following.

"My life started here." Charlie replied throwing a few pieces of bread into the water. "A cold winter's night I got a family." She sighed. "Then another cold night I got Sara involved." She threw some more bread. "I spent a lot of time thinking out here when I was a kid; it's a lonely but comforting place for me. I could have gone to any bench in any park but I chose this one. Things happen for a reason and I refuse to be angry for things that happened out of my control. Today is a new start, a new bench in New York awaits, a new life. Today the dream I had when I was a girl is about to come true, so I'm here to say goodbye to the past and hello to the future." She smiled throwing the last of the bread into the water.

Charlie stood up and offered her hand to her mother. "So Mum, care to help me get ready for the biggest day of my life?"

"Hold on I have some maternal advice to impart. Out of Lindsey's earshot." Catherine said. "It'll be your wedding night." Catherine smirked and Charlie burst out laughing saying that she knew about the birds and bees before starting to walk home with her mother.

----

"Wow." Was all Lindsey said when she walked into Charlie's bedroom a few hours later, Catherine closely followed and stood still at the sight of her eldest child wearing a wedding dress.

"How do I look?" Charlie asked nervously.

"More beautiful than I ever thought possible," Charles replied, he was stood behind Catherine. "So Miss Flynn are you ready?" He asked straightening his tie and walking into the room.

"I suppose so." Charlie replied smiling.

"Ok then." Charles said as everyone started to make their way downstairs.

----

Charlie was silent the entire drive to the church, she said nothing as Charles helped her out of the car, nor when Sara helped her sort out her dress. She didn't speak until the music started and the bridesmaids made their way up the aisle. Only Sara and Charles were with her.

"Thank you for being the two best parents I could have asked for." Charlie said and Sara kissed her on the head before making her own way down the aisle with Flynn who was page boy.

"Thank you for letting me into your life. Time to shine honey, your groom awaits." Charles said as the bridal march came on.

----

The ceremony went perfectly, the readings were just right and the bride looked wonderful, Ethan couldn't take his eyes off of her. Then came the reception and the speeches, the best man did his, the groom his being careful to mention everyone from Charles to Lindsey then came the 'father of the bride' speech.

"A cold wet night my life change for the better, a young cop trying to talk a little girl into getting out of the bad weather. The moment she took hold of my hand she took hold of my heart." He paused and smiled at Charlie. "I've been able to watch a frightened little girl grow into an amazing young woman who gets more beautiful each day. You became my family and showed me how to be a parent and I'm thankful to have been able to help you grow. Now today in my role as 'father' I want to wish for you everything you've given to me and everything I've been fortunate enough to have. Love, family and happiness. You deserve all three and I'm certain that with Ethan you will have that. So I want to raise a toast to Charlie the little who girl who taught me to love, the girl who warmed my heart and showed me what it was to be a parent, and to Ethan the man who I'm trusting to love her forever. To Charlie and Ethan." He raised his glass and was followed by everyone else, Charlie wiped a tear away from her eyes before getting up to give her brother a kiss.

-----

The day after Catherine met Charlie in the hotel restaurant for brunch and told her she had some news.

"Please don't tell me I'm going to be a big sister again." Charlie laughed and her mother shook her head.

"How would you like to see more of me and your sister?" Catherine asked. Charlie responded by saying it would be great. "I've been offered a teaching post and after speaking to Lindsey I accepted it. We're moving."

"What about Lindsey's school? She'll be coming up for college soon the change might disrupt her." Catherine told her she'd looked into schools and found an excellent one with good college prospects, and Lindsey was happy for the change, she was aware of the distractions that Las Vegas offered and showed signs of wanting to follow in her sisters footsteps in terms of becoming a doctor. "Ok then where will I be spending my air miles flying too?"

"The post is Professor of Criminalistics at NYCU, it's tenured with excellent medical cover, more money than I'm earning and they've even helped find a school for Lindsey."

"New York?" Charlie asked with a big smile, her mother nodded glad her daughter was so happy. "But I thought you loved being a CSI?"

"Recent events forced me to re-evaluate a lot of things, I love my job but family means more, yes I have family in Vegas but I have a daughter I miss and want to see more of. We spent 25 years apart and time is precious, I want us to be in New York and Lindsey loves the idea. She says it'll make it easier for college when she has to decide who to visit, and I know she's got her heart set on NYCU. So the question is can you cope with your mother living so close?" Catherine asked nervously and Charlie nodded.

"I think it's great news and you'll be on hand for babysitting." Charlie added with a cheeky grin. Catherine's eyes widened and Charlie smiled waiting for the penny to drop.

"I'm gonna be a grandma?" Catherine asked and Charlie nodded. "How? When?"

"I thought you were a scientist?" Charlie laughed. "It's early days so I'm keeping it quiet but I thought you'd like to know granny grunt." Catherine scowled before laughing.

----

She waved her daughter off with a huge smile wondering what the next couple of months would bring, a move to New York, a new addition to the family, college applications, medical school graduations. But time, time for sisters, daughters and mothers and soon enough grandmothers. She chuckled to herself as she imagined being called grandma, a few months ago the thought would have made her cringe, now it made her smile.

"Grandma." She said to herself, "no, Nanny Cath. That's what I'll be." She walked back thinking about the future and how loved the next addition to the family would be. Charlie was getting it all, the family she'd dreamed of her whole life, and she deserved every little piece of happiness. Catherine was now just glad that she could be part of it.

----


	13. Epilogue

Epilogue

8 months later

Catherine came running into the room followed by Lindsey. The teenager had rapidly adjusted to life in New York, she was thriving in her new environment and doing really well at school. She and Catherine were getting on a lot better now that Catherine was home more and not as tired. They were getting more family time and both women enjoyed their Sunday brunch with Charlie every other week. They were finally becoming a proper family. The day had been going well until Catherine got a call from a panicked Ethan and they set off to the hospital. They burst into the room and found the pair there.

---

Charlie looked exhausted but she was glowing, Ethan was smiling but looked like he'd been crying. Neither could take their eyes off of the baby being held by it's mother.

"Oh my god!" Lindsey exclaimed spotting the baby. "You've had it."

"Had her." Ethan corrected smiling as the proud father. "Grandma would you like to hold your granddaughter?" He asked taking the baby out of Charlie's hands and passing her to Catherine.

"She's gorgeous, does she have a name?" Catherine asked feeling tears fall down her face.

"Sara Willow." Charlie replied with a big smile, the boys name they had picked out was Grant Flynn, Charlie had wanted to finally bring both sides of her family together for her new family.

"Hi Sara, I'm your grandma, and this is Lindsey your auntie." Catherine started talking to the baby girl sitting down in a chair with her so that Lindsey could have a look.

"You did good sis." Lindsey said giving her sister a hug before doing to have a hold of her niece.

----

A few days later a new picture appeared on the desk in Catherine's office, it showed Lilly, Catherine, Nancy, Lindsey, and Charlie holding baby Sara. Sisters, mothers and daughters that all shared a common bond of love and knew that they would always be there for one another. Catherine had no doubt that Charlie would make a fantastic mother, she was already there as a sister and daughter.

The End


End file.
